Weekly Updates from Pastor Adam - Nov. 4, 2022

Dear Resurrection Family,

I am writing this eNote from a plane, on my way back to Kansas City from Houston where I spent the week, along with three other Resurrection leaders, as delegates to Jurisdictional Conference. All told, there were 180 delegates whose job was to elect three new bishops from the South Central part of the United States to replace three who were retiring. I’ll tell you more about our new bishop who will oversee the 900+ United Methodist churches in Kansas and Nebraska at the end of my eNote.

Before I share more about this weekend and other important news from around Resurrection, let me remind you of two IMPORTANT details about this weekend in worship:

1) Daylight Saving Time ends Saturday night, so don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour!

2) This Sunday only, our regular 11 am televised service on KMCI Channel 38 will be at 10 am instead of 11 am due to a nationally televised sporting event occurring that day.

THIS WEEKEND IN WORSHIP: TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN

My news feed on my phone is constantly sending me news about the economy, investing, inflation and more. Among “trending stories” in Apple News as I write this enote: “The richest person who ever lived,” “Don’t use credit cards,” and, “These people quite higher paying jobs for work life balance, but inflation is testing their mettle.” Every year in November, we take two or three weeks to turn to scripture to see the connection between finances and our faith. This weekend we kick off a series called, “What Jesus Said About Money.” We’ll look at nearly everything Jesus said on the subject, which, surprisingly, was quite a lot. Here’s the one-minute video preview for the series, take a look by clicking here.

The sermons coincide with our annual weekend when we invite those who consider Resurrection to be their church family, to make their annual stewardship commitment for the coming year – this will take place the weekend before Thanksgiving. We’ll be giving each of you who return a commitment card our 2023 coffee mug. I’ll share that with you next week – it’s pretty cool!

Since I’ve been out all week at Jurisdictional Conference, I’ve asked that our location pastors preach at each location with Pastor Scott preaching at Leawood and online. They’ve worked on their messages together, but each will have a slightly different take on this weekend’s scripture. I’ll be preaching the next two sermons in this series; but this weekend, I’ll use this as a chance to visit three of our locations, worshiping Saturday night at Downtown at 5 pm, Sunday at Overland Park at 9 am and Blue Springs at 11 a.m. (I plan to get to West as my next location to visit). It’s going to be an awesome weekend of worship – a powerful message, Holy Communion and something special for our children (see below). For worship times, locations, as well as ways to worship online or TV click here.

ATTENTION VETERANS AND ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL

We’ll be recognizing our Veterans this weekend as our country prepares for Veterans Day next week. If you are a Veteran, or active-duty, we will be recognizing you. If you have your uniform and it still fits, please wear it! We are grateful for your service.

ATTENTION PARENTS: SPECIAL GIFT FOR CHILDREN THIS WEEKEND!

As part of our stewardship focus, children and students in Sunday School or worship this weekend will have a special opportunity to learn about and experience the joy of generosity. Through a generous gift from a donor, each child or student will be given a small gift that they can take and use to positively impact the life of someone else. We’ll be collecting their stories as they seek to brighten someone’s day. Our hope is to help our children and students remember Jesus’ words, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Make sure your kids don’t miss worship or Sunday School this weekend!

STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR NEIGHBORS OF ALL FAITHS

On October 21, vandals broke in through a window, ransacked the Dialogue Institute of Kansas City’s building, leaving behind a swastika and obscene phrases scrawled across walls. The nonprofit Dialogue Institute works to bring people of various faiths together for dialogue. Founded by Muslims, their hope is to promote kindness, mutual understanding and respect among people of various faiths. We have shared an “Iftar” with members of the Dialogue Institute – the meal after sunset during Ramadan. They’ve recognized our church for our work in promoting peace and understanding between people of faith.

Church of the Resurrection is joining with faith and community leaders in condemning any kind of hate-filled, racist attacks and violence. We stand in support of our neighbors of other faiths and work together to build a community where actions such as this, designed to sow seeds of hate and mistrust, are not tolerated.

We will be hosting an event led by the Dialogue Institute and Raindrop Foundation on Thursday, November 10, from 7-8:30 pm in the Wesley Chapel at the Leawood location, (13720 Roe Avenue, Building C) where faith and community leaders will come together to speak out against hate and violence and demonstrate how we stand together in support of all our neighbors. I encourage you to attend if you can. Registration is requested for this event, please click here to register.

ONLINE ESTATE PLANNING SEMINAR NOV. 12

Coinciding with our sermon series on what Jesus had to say about money, our Resurrection Foundation is hosting an Online Estate Planning Seminar, Saturday, Nov. 12 from 9:30 – 11:30 am. At this event, experienced estate planning attorneys will present helpful information relevant to all ages and stages, and then you’ll have an opportunity to join a breakout session of your choice. To learn more about this online event or to register before Thursday, Nov. 10, click here.

REGISTER NOW: THIRD GRADE BIBLE PRESENTATION AND BIBLE ADVENTURE

Next Sunday, during worship at all locations, we will be presenting our third graders with their own Bibles. This special milestone in the lives of our children is always one of my very favorite annual events. Please make sure you register your children or grandchildren so we can have a Bible for them. Here’s the link.

After they get their new Bibles, we have a special event on the Friday, Nov. 18, called Bible Adventure. Third graders along with their adult (parent, grandparent, etc.) can enjoy dinner, games, interactive Bible teachings and a scavenger hunt through the church. Make sure you register for Bible Adventure here.

THANKSGIVING SERVING OPPORTUNITIES

During November, we are serving holiday meals, purchasing food and warmth items and donating online to make this holiday season brighter for our neighbors in need. Click here for more information and opportunities to serve.

HELP REPLENISH CRITICAL BLOOD SUPPLIES

This past week, there have been several news stories about critical blood supply needs; and as the holiday season nears, blood donations often drop. You can donate at a Resurrection Blood Drive and help ensure a stable blood supply in our community. Donating blood is an easy way to share the love of Jesus with our neighbors, and you may save a life! All presenting donors at any Church of the Resurrection blood drive will be entered in a drawing to win Chiefs tickets to the Jan. 1 game! Appointments are strongly encouraged, but walk-ins will be safely worked in as space allows. Just click on the location name for details and a registration link.

• Leawood: (Building B Foundry Hall): Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 14 or 15, 8 am-8 pm
• Blue Springs: Thursday, November 17, 2 – 6 pm
• Overland Park: Thursday, Nov. 17, 2-7 pm
• West: Monday, Nov. 21, 10 am – 7 pm

VOTING AND VESPERS THIS COMING TUESDAY!

I am hoping to vote this afternoon. Here are two places to go for information about your local election: votejoco.com and vote411.org. Do your homework and vote as a way of seeking to live your faith in the world. This Tuesday is election day. Join me live on my Pastor Adam Hamilton Facebook page at 7:30 pm – it will be brief as I want to watch election results and I know many of you will want to do this as well. You can also catch the replay on YouTube later in the week. We’ll pray for those who are elected, and for those whose night ends in disappointment; and, we’ll reflect upon what the New Testament teaches about rulers or political leaders.

REV. DR. DAVID WILSON TO SERVE AS OUR NEW BISHOP

I have participated in 6 Jurisdictional Conferences over the last 26 years, helping to elect bishops for the church. We are part of the South Central Jurisdiction, made up of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico. 180 delegates met in Houston this week to interview candidates one final time (we’ve been getting to know these candidates for the last year) and then to vote upon which three of the seven candidates we believed God was calling for this work of overseeing the churches. Typically, it takes between 15 and 30 ballots (votes) before elections are completed. This year, all three were chosen on the first ballot – something that hasn’t happened since 1852. It was remarkable and a sign, I believe, of the future in the United Methodist Church as some churches have left and those that remain, conservative, centrist and progressive churches, are committed to the unity of the church.

Rev. Dr. David Wilson was elected and assigned to be our new bishop. He will likely serve for the next ten years. He is the first Native American bishop ever elected in the United Methodist Church. A pastor in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference of the United Methodist Church, he has a deep love for God and a love for people. He has established himself as a gifted leader in the United Methodist Church and our delegation felt a strong connection with him. He has currently been serving as the assistant to the bishop in Oklahoma. I’m grateful for his leadership and excited to welcome him as the bishop of 900+ churches in Kansas and Nebraska. Please pray for him as he prepares for this important work. For more information about Bishop Wilson, click here.

I felt it was a new day for our denomination at Jurisdictional Conference. Gone was the divisiveness often felt and in its place were hopeful leaders committed to seeing the United Methodist Church fulfill its mission of “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” It was a terrific preview of what’s ahead for our denomination after the dust settles from the 20% of churches that leave the UMC to form their own denomination.

AWESOME TRUNK OR TREAT LAST WEEKEND

I thought I’d end with a fun report. Last Saturday and Sunday, we held Trunk or Treat events at all of our locations including Brookside as a preview for the new location. We had over 500 people show up for Trunk or Treat at our new Brookside location (launching in December) and over 10,000 total people who attended at all of our locations. It was amazing. Thank you to all who volunteered and opened their trunks for this special and fun outreach event!

I am so proud of you, Resurrection, and excited about what God has in store for our future.

Adam